Calcium hydroxide based hair relaxer systems are commonly used for treatment of hair. However, it has been found that existing hair conditioning agents are often unstable and not substantive in the environment of the high pH levels (11.0 to 12.5, and sometimes higher) of the relaxer system required for relaxing the hair. The inclusion of conditioning ingredients in relaxer systems is preferred to provide detangling and enhanced wet combability by adding a substantive coating to the hair shaft.
Presently, many relaxer systems provide for the addition of a hair conditioning agent either pre or post application of the relaxer ingredient, which agent is added separately from the relaxer ingredient itself.
Therefore, present hair relaxer systems which include a separate pre or post conditioner require several steps to complete application of the system, with the conditioning agents added to the hair separately before or after the relaxing agents are applied. These multiple steps unnecessarily increase the time involved in applying the complete system.
Additionally, the use of a separate pre-conditioning step in relaxer systems allows for potential inconsistent results because the relaxer ingredients are applied directly over the preconditioner, diluting the relaxer and producing slowdown in the action of the relaxer. This dilution factor changes each time the process is applied to the hair and scalp.
Based upon known literature, the only agent that promotes conditioning while the relaxer is active is a cationic polymer, polyquaternium 6, available under the brand name Merquat 100. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,572. However, the Merquat 100 polymer doesn't provide synergy with the active ingredients in the system to promote a more efficient relaxing process whereby the relaxer can have reduced active ingredient levels, yet provide faster processing time with less potential for hair damage.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a hair relaxer system that provides excellent wet combability and soft feel utilizing a stable polyquaternium compound that works synergistically with the active relaxer ingredients to provide a more efficient hair relaxer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hair relaxer system that leaves the relaxed hair soft and manageable, allowing for easy comb-out and less damage from tangling, knotting, and the like.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a hair relaxer system which effectively relaxes the hair with less active ingredients compared to products presently on the market, thereby reducing the possibility of irritation and overprocessing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hair relaxer system which includes a conditioning agent which conditions the hair prior to and during the relaxing process, and eliminates the need for the time-consuming application of a preconditioning agent.
In prior systems, there is no way to gage how much conditioner is on the hair, resulting in a change in the dilution factor each time the relaxing process is repeated. In the present invention, the conditioning system is built into the relaxer system, providing a constant level of active ingredients and consistent results.